Postsolenobia nanosella sp. n. (Psychidae) from Slovenia

6 Pages·2003·3.2 MB·English

Notalepid. 26 (1/2): 3-8
Postsolenobia nanosella sp. n. (Psychidae) from Slovenia
&
MiLOSLAV Petrû* Jan Liska**
* Revolucni25, CZ 110 00 Praha 1, e-mail: [email protected]
** Strnady 138, CZ 156 04 Praha 5, e-mail: [email protected]
Abstract. A new psychid species Postsolenobia nanosella sp. n. is described from south-western
Slovenia (Nanos Mountains). The systematic position ofthis species in Postsolenobia Meier, 1958 as
well as the differences between similar species ofthis genus are discussed. The new species is charac-
terizedbyitsverysmallsize,reductionofsomeveins,greycolourofthehead,purewhiteforewingswith
a dark-brownpattern anddark-greyhindwings.The cases were collectedonrocks on sunny slopes with
xerothermic vegetation.
Key words. Lepidoptera, Psychidae,Postsolenobia, sp. n., Nanos Mountains, Slovenia.
Introduction
During several excursions to Slovenia in 2000-2002 a series ofspecimens ofthe tribe
Dahlicini was collected in the Nanos Mountains. These specimens do not belong to
any ofthe species hitherto known within the tribe. This species, described below as
new, is apparently a member ofthe genus Postsolenobia Meier, 1958. Morphological
features of the species correspond with characters defining Postsolenobia, i.e.:
absence of epiphysis on foretibia, five veins from the discal cell of the hindwing,
wingspan less than 10 mm, and cloaking scales of forewing falling into class 5 of
Sauter (1956). Postsolenobia was later synonymized with Dahlica Enderlein, 1912
by Arnscheid (1988), but again treated as a valid genus in recent works involving
&
taxonomic revisions and keys for the genera of the family Psychidae (Sauter
Hättenschwiler 1991, 1999).
Postsolenobia nanosella sp. n.
Material. Holotype cf Slovenia, Nanos Mts., Rebrnice 750m, 3.V.2002 pupa (emerged 18.V.2002), Liska
leg. Paratypes: Ç Slovenia,NanosMts., Rebrnice750m, 19.V.2001 pupa(emerged30.V.2001), Petra leg.;
9cf same data, but 28.V.2000, 26.V.2001, 1cf 26.V.2001 pupa (emerged 30.V.2001), 2c? 3.V.2002 pupa
(emerged 13.V.2002 and 18.V.2002), 10 3.V.2002 pupa (emerged 18.V.2002), Liska leg.; 2cf 25.,
28.V.2001, 19 28.V.2001 pupa (emerged 2.vi.2001), Skyva leg.; 1cf 3.V.2002 pupa (emerged lO.v.2002),
Sumpich leg.
Theholotypeanda femaleparatypearedeposited in the Slovenian Museum ofNatural Ilistqry Ljubljana
(Prirodoslovni muzcj Slovcnijc); otherparatypesare in coll. J. Liska, M. Petrû, J. Skyva, J. Sumpich, the
National Museum Prague(Nârodni museum Praha),and theZoological StateCollection Munich (Zoolo-
gische Staatssammlung München).
Further material (not revised by the authors): 10c? Slovenia, Nanos Mts., 800 m, 25.V.1993 (ex pupa).
30d\ 8Ç same data, but 1. 5.vi.2002 (ex pupa), Lasan leg. et coll.; 2cf same data, but 14., 17.V.2002 (ex
pupa), Gomboc leg. ct coll.; 5cf same data, but 700 m, 25.V.2000, 14.V.2002, Deutsch leg. el coll.
Male (Figs. 1-/, 1-2). Wingspan ofthe type scries S.l 9.0 mm, 8.5 mm on ave-
mm
rage (n=15), and 8.3 in the holotype. Head covered with grey hairlike scales,
partly mixed with white. Labial palpi reduced, stump-shaped, covered with grey
scales. Antennae with 24-26 segments (including scape and pedicel), ca 2/3 of
forewing length. Distance between eyes twice their diameter. Ocelli absent. Thorax
©Notalepidopterologica,30.10.2003,ISSN0342-7536
Petrû&Liska:PostsolenobiananosellafromSlovenia
Fig. 1. Males ofPostsolenobia. 1 -P. nanosella sp. n., holotype, Slovenia, Nanos Mts., Rebrnice, 750
m, 3.V.2002 pupa, emerged 18.V.2002. 2 -P. nanosella sp. n., paratype, same data as holotype. 3 -P.
juliella(Rebel, 1919),Italy,Interneppo,4.V.2002pupa,emerged6.v.2002. 4-P.thomanni(Rebel, 1936),
Switzerland, Brusio, Puschlav, 12.iv.1942, expupa.
andtegulae coveredwith amixture ofgrey andwhite hairlike scales, the same colour
as the head. Length offorewing 3.5 times the width. After removing the scales, the
apex of the forewing is shown to be pointed. Hindwing slightly narrower than
forewing. Legs stripedwhite andbrown-grey, in darker specimens the white colour is
almost absent. Forewing fringe white with some grey. The dark cilia line is well
marked. The ground colour of the forewing is pure white with a moderately dark-
brown pattern, with no yellowish colour. The extent ofthe white and brown colour
varies between specimens and white scales are sometimes mixed with grey ones.
Cloaking scales covering the forewing fall into class 5 of Sauter (1956). Hindwing
densely covered with dark grey scales. Forewing venation (Fig. 2) with 9 veins from
the discal cell. M2 andM3 usually stalked.Accessoryandintercalarycells sometimes
present on forewing. Accessory cell (present/examined) 3/6, intercalary cell 1/6. The
presence of additional cells was also mentioned recently in descriptions of similar
&
small species from the tribe Dahlicini from eastern Europe (Herrmann Weidlich
1999; Rutjan 2000). Hindwing venation (Fig. 3) without additional cells, only 5 veins
from the discal cell. M2 and M3 almost completely merged, sometimes with a long
stalk (5/14). Foretibia without epiphysis, midtibia with 1 pair and hindtibia with
2 pairs ofspurs.Abdomen scaleddarkgreytoblack. Genitaliaare typical ofDahlicini
(cf. Cäpuse 1964). Genital index is approximately 1.05-1.16 (n = 3). The valva is
3.5 times longer than the width in the middle.
Notalepid. 26 (1/2): 3-
Figs.2-5. Postsolenobia nanosella sp. n., paratypes. 2. cf, forewing venation. 3. cf, hindwing venation.
4. 9, pupal skin. 5. 9, dorsal fieldthorns.
Female. 16 antennal segments. Body length about 3.5 mm; head, thorax, and
abdomen whitish dorsally, greyish laterally and ventrally, hairlike scales on whitish-
grey,. Foretibia without epiphysis. Pupal skin (cf. Hättenschwiler 1977) and dorsal
field thorns illustrated on Figs. 4-5.
Cases. The cases are 4.2-5.8 mm long (n=20), 5.3 mm on average and 5.5 mm in
the holotype, straight, composed ofsmall pale greyish-brown particles oflimestone and soil.
Type locality. Slovenia, Nanos Mountains, Rebrnice, 750 m a.s.l., 45°48'N,
14°00'E (Fig. 6). The locality lies outside the Alps, in the Slovenian Karst in a very
moderate calcareous country. The territory of the Slovenian Karst is known for its
high biological diversity and relatively high rate ofendemism.
Habitat and life hi story. Cases were collected on sunny, south-west facing
calcareous rocky slopes with xerothermic vegetation {Quereus pubescens, Fraxinus
ornus, etc.). The altitude is 700-800 m. Cases with larvae were observed from early
spring (March) until mid May. Most probably the larvae feed on lichens. The adults
were collected from the second halfof May to the first days ofJune. The maximum
occurrence is at the end ofMay. Dahlica triquetrella forma parthenogenetica was the
only other species ofthe tribe Dahlicini found in the vicinity ofthe locality.
.
Petrû&Liska:PostsolenobiananosellafromSlovenia
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48
Fig. 6.Thetype localityofPostsolenobia nanosella sp. n.
Distribution. At present Postsolenobia nanosella is known only from the
type locality. It can also be expected to be found in the neighbouring mountains
(e.g. Tarnovski Gozd Mts.).
Remarks. The type locality of P. juliella (Rebel, 1919) is given as Monte
MatajurinnorthernItaly (Rebel 1919;Arnscheid 1988). Inthe original description of
that species, twoparatypes were reportedfromReifenberg (Görz), now calledBranik,
southwest ofAjdovscina in Slovenia. In the authors' opinion, the population from the
latter locality may belong to the newly described species. Unfortunately, the types
specimens could not be traced at the Naturhistorisches Museum inVienna.
Derivatio nominis. The name ofthe species is derived from that ofthe type
locality ofthe new species, the Nanos Mts.
Discussion
The new species Postsolenobia nanosella appears to be most closely related to
Pjuliella (Rebel, 1919) and P. thomanni (Rebel, 1936). Postsolenobiajuliella has a
yellowishwhite headin contrastto its darkerthorax (Fig. 1, 3). Postsolenobia thomanni
has brown hairlike scales on the head (Fig. 1, 4). The head ofP. nanosella has grey
hairs, partly mixed with white, especially in pale specimens. At first sight the
forewing is grey-white, in contrast to the two other species. The ground colour ofthe
forewing is pure white, occasionally with a mixture ofsingle grey scales, mainly in
the costal sector. The dark-brownmarkings are ofhigh contrast. The hindwing is grey
and markedly darker compared to the forewing. Furthermore, P. nanosella is smaller
andits wings are shorterthan inPjuliella. The ratio betweenthe length ofthe aedeagus
and valva (genital index) is between 1.05-1.16, which is somewhat more than in the
two other species. The remaining species ofthis genus, P banatica (M. Hering, 1922)
can be distinguished by the absence of marked spots on the wings and by a larger
genital index. All characters are summarised inTable 1
.
Notalepid. 26 (1/2): 3-8
Tab. 1. Specific charactersofPostsolenobia thomanni,Rjuliella,P.nanosella, andP. banatica. Dataare
takenfromCäpuse (1964), Hättenschwiler(1997), Hering(1922), Meier(1957), Rebel(1936) andfrom
the following material: Postsolenobia thomanni: c? Switzerland, Brusio, Puschlav, case 12.iv.1942,
Weberleg., Petrû coll. -Postsolenobia iuliella: 4c? Italy, Gemona, 23., 24., 26., 28.iv.1952, Siederleg.,
Petrû coll.; cf Italy, Dolomiten, Piano Fugazze, 1300 m, 3.vi.1960, Meier leg., Petrû coll.; cf Italy,
Matajur, 1100m, 1l.v.1961, Siederleg., Petrûcoll.; cf Italysup.,Friaul, Mt. Matajur, 1200m, 16.V.1961,
Meier leg., Petrû coll.; 2Ç Italy, Monte Festa, 23.v.1968, e.p., Schätz leg., Petrû coll.; cf Italy, Monte
Festa, 24.V.1968, e.p., Schätz leg., Petrû coll.; cf Italy, Monte Festa, 14.V.1969, e.o., P. Hättenschwiler
leg., Petrûcoll.; 4cf, 1Ç, Italy, Matajur,4.V.2002, e.p.,Liska& Petrûleg. etcoll; lcf, 1Ç, Italy, Gemona-
Interneppo,4.V.2002, e.p., Liska& Petrûleg. etcoll. -Postsolenobiabanatica: cf Romania, Domogled,
18.iv.1964, Cäpu§e leg.; cf Baile Herculaneae, 15.V.1965, Capus,e leg., Petrû coll.
Males P. thomanni P.juliella P. nanosella P. banatica
Wingspan(mm) 8-10 9-10 8-9 10
Cloaking scales (Sauter 1956) 5-6 5 5 5
Colourofhead brown yellowish grey paleyellow
Genital index 0.84-1.08 0.85-0.95 1.05-1.16 1.33-1.39
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to ourcolleagues fortheirkindhelp duringthepreparation ofthe manuscript: G. Eisner
(photography of adults), R. J. Heckford (linguistic revision), P. Kapitola (translation to English),
Z. Lastuvka (text revision), J. Skyva and J. Sumpich (part oftype material). Financial support came
from the Biotop foundation Prague.
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